Judging Bell

Quote I posted on FB today: "God has been looking for partners...who will take seriously their divine responsibility to care for the earth and each other..." - Rob Bell (A quote that I wholeheartedly agree with!!!)


Comment from friend: Isn't Rob Bell one of "those" pastors who have gone off the deep end--like "caring for mother earth-and global warming"?


Comment from me: Some think so. I find him to be a good challenge...gets me thinking...not afraid to ask questions. Man, I've found a very real and relational God on the end of those journeys. Even if I don't always reach all of the same conclusions that he does, he has some good wisdom. I'm all for loving nature, being a good steward of the environment, etc. Some would argue that I'm "off the deep end" too though...but I like it there. Hehe. ;)


I'll tell you what...while I appreciate people like this that actually want to discuss things they've heard said about the beliefs of others...I still find it so sad that some of the "brothers and sisters of Christ" find it so necessary to pigeonhole others and then exact judgment. Sigh, sigh, sigh...


Gotta be honest though...I've done it myself. I had the privilege of taking a Christian Theology class in college by Greg Boyd. One of the best thinking-promoting classes I've ever taken. At the time, John Piper took it upon himself to basically conduct a witch-hunt against him. Dr. Boyd took it pretty graciously. I did not. People, as my Uncle John would say, should be able to have respectful conversation instead of the opinion grandstanding that is more the norm. To this day, I find any "wisdom" from Piper to be hard to swallow. I actually have to discipline myself to not instantly judge everything he promotes because of the judgment I formed from my dislike of his behavior. I have the same reaction to Mark Driscoll, any "word-faith" preacher...Ugh. So...I guess it's a good reminder for myself in my rush to defend Bell's free space that I have areas to improve as well.